Are infections post-BBL preventable?

Question

My sister got a Brazilian butt lift ending of February and after three weeks she started to form a lump on her butt & hip that was hot to the touch that then turned white, fluid then started coming out of it & she has now been in the hospital for 4 days now. I am getting a BBL in June & watching her recovery has been disheartening . I want to prevent getting an infection as well. What pre-operative precautions can I take ? Was the infection cause by her doctor or a mistake she may have made?

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear sarahek772,
every plastic surgeon has his own preoperative protocol which he recommends to his patients. I would suggest you to discuss this with your plastic surgeon. In case of infection prevention, it is more important to pay attention to sterility in the OR. If you are considering a surgery, I would suggest you to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination you will get more information and recommendations.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

Surgeon experience and record are important as well as the accreditation of the surgery center or hospital. The risk of infection is extremely low. Perioperative antibiotics have become a standard. There is less agreement about antibiotics for a period of time after surgery, though I still provide them for about a week.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

Infections after a fat transfer are pretty unlikely and rare but do happen.

The only thing that’s been proven to reduce the infection rate is a single dose of anabiotic‘s immediately before the procedure.

It’s unlikely that the surgeon did some thing to cost the infection but there have been infections caused by surgeons who do not properly sterilize equipment or surgery centers that have a problems with contamination.

I recommend not to traveling for elective surgical procedures. Choosing a board-certified plastic surgeon who has years of experience and performs the procedures in an accredited facility.

When infections happen it’s imperative that the plastic surgeon who performed the procedure intervenes quickly before the infection spreads. This is one reason why patients should not travel for surgical procedures. Having access to postoperative care by the surgeon who performed the procedure is paramount and having this be a safe experience.

Best,

Mats Hagstrom MD

Are infections post-BBL preventable?

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Are infections post-BBL preventable?

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Everything you need to know about Brazilian Butt Lift

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.